Race to save colt, babies left to die

“The colt gets the world’s best medical care; the baby gasps for breath without so much as panadol”. Vikki Campion Australia has been called “The Lucky Country”, and we often hear it said that it is the best place in the world to live. I (Damien Mackey) think, however, that it might resemble somewhat the old Cretan and Canaanite cultures, that were technologically advanced, highly productive and prosperous, on the one hand, and yet philosophically bankrupt and incredibly barbaric, on the other hand. Two female journalists, Vikki Campion and Peta Credlin, have called out the appalling – even philosophically sanctioned – infanticide: Vikki Campion has written in The Daily Telegraph: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/campion-inhumane-deaths-aborted-babies-born-alive-are-being-left-to-die/news-story/0e7cdbbdf245a8020674b669e9505174 Campion: ’Inhumane deaths’: Aborted babies born alive are being left to die A parliamentary inquiry has heard hearing gut-wrenching testimonies and facts like at least one aborted baby is born alive every seven days and left to die, writes Vikki Campion. Vikki Campion follow 4 min read August 24, 2024 - 9:53AM The Saturday Telegraph When Black Caviar’s foal – a colt sired by Snitzel – passed away this week, there was a virtual day of mourning. He received “around-the-clock, world-class veterinary care, but unfortunately could not be saved”, and headlines lamented devastation, with even ABC reporting that “late Black Caviar champion racehorse’s final foal has died”. As the world mourned the loss of a baby horse, a parliamentary inquiry in Queensland, sparked by Katter Australia Party MP Robbie Katter, was hearing gut-wrenching testimonies from frontline midwives like Louise Adsett. They revealed the tragic story of a baby boy, fighting for his life for five agonising hours devoid of any care, let alone that given to a colt. A motion in the Senate, which sought to “recognise that at least one baby is born alive every seven days following a failed abortion and left to die and that Australia’s health care system is enabling these inhumane deaths, and for the Senate to condemn this practice, noting that babies born alive as a result of a failed abortion deserve care,” went strategically unrecognised in most media, save for Weekend Telegraph columnist Peta Credlin on Sky. …. This was not a debate about women’s right to abortion but only pertained to what to do when an aborted baby is born alive. The colt gets the world’s best medical care; the baby gasps for breath without so much as panadol. As UAP Senator Ralph Babet spoke to his urgency motion, the Greens’ Sarah Hanson-Young made vomiting-gestures behind him for the cameras. Care for babies in the Greens stops at Gaza. Climate 200-funded independent David Pocock, who fights to the marrow in his bones to save koalas, voted against painkillers for a baby dying on a table. NSW Liberal Senator Maria Kovacic, who has never won an election in her own right and who took the spot of a giant in the history of the Senate, Jim Molan, (whose life was not just about protecting the innocent, but in protecting all Australians in the Australian Defence Force), accused her colleagues of manipulating the process of the Senate and then went on to Meta and claimed it was “trying to take away women’s rights to their own health care”. Her page has since been inundated with threats. Senator Kovacic voted with the Greens, Teals, Labor, and three other moderate Liberals, arguing, “the complex issues that arise from the contents of this motion are challenging for most people but particularly for women, and they are deeply personal”. Once the baby is outside the woman, that infant is its own person and has its own rights. If this were a koala struggling to breathe and dying with no pain relief, these same politicians would vote for the koala. However, their compassion evaporates when it comes to a baby. Worse again was the media, failing to stand up for the powerless against the powerful. You can’t get any more powerless than a 21-week-old aborted baby being denied the care that, if these senators were denied it, someone would end up in court on charges. Regardless of the circumstances, every child born alive deserves care and comfort. The motion was never a preclusion to a woman’s right to abortion; once a person is alive and dying on the table, we are talking about a completely different set of rights. As one senator pointed out, an aborted baby would likely experience “shocking injuries that will not make them viable in the sense of a long-term life”. When ambulances go to car accidents, do they drag the poor souls onto the side of the road and leave them there because they would die anyhow, or do they do their best to help them? All the motion asked for was palliative care and essential pain relief, just as we would with anybody else towards the end of their life. Is the reason people look the other way because it’s too confronting to admit innocent lives are being left to perish in a metal tray for hours with no pain relief? Spare us the faux compassion on refugees, on the horrors in Gaza, when you pretend to gag for the cameras behind a person talking about the horrors of Australian babies dying in our hospitals. Spare us the faux compassion for the koalas, when you deny a dying baby painkillers. And as for the Labor and moderate Liberal members who voted against it, how will this help their vote amongst swinging voters with no faith but find it abhorrent on a purely human level? Some question the worth of the life of an abortion survivor, due to potential disability in their life. How can you say that a physically imperfect person does not deserve to live? …. Queensland MP Robbie Katter has introduced a bill to ensure the rights of babies born alive in his state. It’s a crucial step, which means the duty of a registered health practitioner to provide medical care and treatment to a person born as a result of termination would be no different from their duty to anybody else. I’ll help with some transparency, a link to how they voted. You’ll find every so-called “caring”, “ethical” party, including Teal, Labor, the Greens and the four soft-moderate Liberal faction Senators, voted against pain relief for a baby dying in a dish. Peta Credlin has declared on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut_MXgxv1og ‘Elsewhere we would call this infanticide’: Late term abortion survivors denied medical care August 21, 2024 - 8:13PM Sky News host Peta Credlin discusses the fact that babies who survive late term abortions are refused life-saving medical care and left to die in some Australian states. “I still couldn't get over that decision in the Senate last night that refused to even allow debate on a resolution that all new-born babies, born alive after late term abortions, be allowed to receive medical treatment rather than being left to die,” Ms Credlin said. “Why should the treatment of one human person depend upon a veto from someone else? “She might have intended the child dead, but if the baby is born alive, surely its right to live trumps everything else? “Elsewhere at law, we would call this infanticide.”

Hell, the definitive Fiery Furnace

by Damien F. Mackey ““Eternal damnation”, therefore, is not attributed to God's initiative because in his merciful love he can only desire the salvation of the beings he created. In reality, it is the creature who closes himself to his love. Damnation consists precisely in definitive separation from God, freely chosen by the human person and confirmed with death that seals his choice for ever. God’s judgement ratifies this state”. John Paul II John Paul II ‘the Great’ gave the following reasonable explanation of this most terrifying of subjects: HELL: https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/audiences/1999/documents/hf_jp-ii_aud_28071999.html JOHN PAUL II GENERAL AUDIENCE Wednesday 28 July 1999 Dear Brothers and Sisters, 1. God is the infinitely good and merciful Father. But man, called to respond to him freely, can unfortunately choose to reject his love and forgiveness once and for all, thus separating himself for ever from joyful communion with him. It is precisely this tragic situation that Christian doctrine explains when it speaks of eternal damnation or hell. It is not a punishment imposed externally by God but a development of premises already set by people in this life. The very dimension of unhappiness which this obscure condition brings can in a certain way be sensed in the light of some of the terrible experiences we have suffered which, as is commonly said, make life “hell”. In a theological sense however, hell is something else: it is the ultimate consequence of sin itself, which turns against the person who committed it. It is the state of those who definitively reject the Father’s mercy, even at the last moment of their life. 2. To describe this reality Sacred Scripture uses a symbolical language which will gradually be explained. In the Old Testament the condition of the dead had not yet been fully disclosed by Revelation. Moreover it was thought that the dead were amassed in Sheol, a land of darkness (cf. Ez 28:8; 31:14; Jb 10:21f.; 38:17; Ps 30:10; 88:7, 13), a pit from which one cannot reascend (cf. Jb 7:9), a place in which it is impossible to praise God (cf. Is 38:18; Ps 6:6). The New Testament sheds new light on the condition of the dead, proclaiming above all that Christ by his Resurrection conquered death and extended his liberating power to the kingdom of the dead. Redemption nevertheless remains an offer of salvation which it is up to people to accept freely. This is why they will all be judged “by what they [have done]” (Rv 20:13). By using images, the New Testament presents the place destined for evildoers as a fiery furnace, where people will “weep and gnash their teeth” (Mt 13:42; cf. 25:30, 41), or like Gehenna with its “unquenchable fire” (Mk 9:43). All this is narrated in the parable of the rich man, which explains that hell is a place of eternal suffering, with no possibility of return, nor of the alleviation of pain (cf. Lk 16:19-31). The Book of Revelation also figuratively portrays in a “pool of fire” those who exclude themselves from the book of life, thus meeting with a “second death” (Rv 20:13f.). Whoever continues to be closed to the Gospel is therefore preparing for “eternal destruction and exclusion from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might” (2 Thes 1:9). 3. The images of hell that Sacred Scripture presents to us must be correctly interpreted. They show the complete frustration and emptiness of life without God. Rather than a place, hell indicates the state of those who freely and definitively separate themselves from God, the source of all life and joy. This is how the Catechism of the Catholic Church summarizes the truths of faith on this subject: “To die in mortal sin without repenting and accepting God’s merciful love means remaining separated from him for ever by our own free choice. This state of definitive self-exclusion from communion with God and the blessed is called ‘hell’” (n. 1033). “Eternal damnation”, therefore, is not attributed to God's initiative because in his merciful love he can only desire the salvation of the beings he created. In reality, it is the creature who closes himself to his love. Damnation consists precisely in definitive separation from God, freely chosen by the human person and confirmed with death that seals his choice for ever. God’s judgement ratifies this state. 4. Christian faith teaches that in taking the risk of saying “yes” or “no”, which marks the human creature’s freedom, some have already said no. They are the spiritual creatures that rebelled against God’s love and are called demons (cf. Fourth Lateran Council, DS 800-801). What happened to them is a warning to us: it is a continuous call to avoid the tragedy which leads to sin and to conform our life to that of Jesus who lived his life with a “yes” to God. Damnation remains a real possibility, but it is not granted to us, without special divine revelation, to know which human beings are effectively involved in it. The thought of hell — and even less the improper use of biblical images — must not create anxiety or despair, but is a necessary and healthy reminder of freedom within the proclamation that the risen Jesus has conquered Satan, giving us the Spirit of God who makes us cry “Abba, Father!” (Rm 8:15; Gal 4:6). This prospect, rich in hope, prevails in Christian proclamation. It is effectively reflected in the liturgical tradition of the Church, as the words of the Roman Canon attest: “Father, accept this offering from your whole family ... save us from final damnation, and count us among those you have chosen”. ________________________________________ Symbolism in Burning Fiery Furnace We burn either within the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which is salvific, all-encompassing, pure ecstasy, or we burn without (outside of) the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which is hopeless, agonising and destructive. The three young colleagues of the prophet Daniel were thus not harmed when dwelling within the heart of a fire, which same fire, however, annihilated those outside it, the henchmen of the base King Nebuchednezzar, symbolising the damned, and the Devil. The three young seers at Fatima, Portugal (1917), Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco, who were spared being tossed into boiling oil: Three Fatima children, like Daniel’s three young friends, faced with being burned alive (3) Three Fatima children, like Daniel's three young friends, faced with being burned alive | Damien Mackey - Academia.edu were promised by Our Lady of the Rosary that they would go to Heaven. They were to escape the definitive Fiery Furnace, which they were shown a month earlier (July 13), which is Hell. https://www.ncregister.com/blog/on-july-13-1917-our-lady-of-fatima-showed-a-vision-of-hell-and-taught-us-how-to-avoid-it On July 13, 1917, Our Lady of Fatima Showed a Vision of Hell and Taught Us How to Avoid It On July 13, 1917, Our Lady gave several specific directives that, if we heeded, the world would not be in the situation it finds itself today. “You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart.” (photo: John Martin, “Fallen Angels in Hell”, ca. 1841) Joseph Pronechen Blogs July 13, 2017 A hundred years ago, during the Fatima apparition on July 13, 1917, there was mention of the Rosary, a vision of hell, direction to help sinners, talk of consecration to the Immaculate Heart and consecration of Russia. Our Lady began by reminding the children: “I want you to come back here on the thirteenth of next month. Continue to say the Rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary, to obtain the peace of the world and the end of the war, because only she can obtain it.” That is a directive, an instruction, a motherly order that we should heed and practice now more than ever. In the last 100 years, how many did so? Next, she told them when she would reveal her identity and what way she would provide for people to accept the apparitions as true. “You must come here every month, and in October I will tell you who I am and what I want. I will then perform a miracle so that all may believe.” Then, Our Lady set the scene and gave the children — and us — a way to help others so they would not end up as part of the vision she was going to show them next. She said: Make sacrifices for sinners, and say often, especially while making a sacrifice: O Jesus, this is for love of Thee, for the conversion of sinners, and in reparation for offences committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Frightening Vision When Our Lady told this to the children, she opened her hands as she had during the two previous apparitions. Lucia described what happened. “The rays of light seemed to penetrate the earth, and we saw as it were a sea of fire.” In The True Story of Fatima, Father John de Marchi recounted how Jacinta’s father Ti Marto witnessed the children’s actions in the Cova da Iria that day. He remembered “that Lucia gasped in sudden horror, that her face was white as death, and that all who were there heard her cry in terror to the Virgin Mother, whom she called by name,” wrote Father de Marchi. “The children were looking at their Lady in terror, speechless, and unable to plead for relief from the scene they had witnessed.” Later at the request of the Bishop of Leiria, Lucia described the vision this way: As Our Lady spoke these last words, she opened her hands once more, as she had done during the two previous months. The rays of light seemed to penetrate the earth, and we saw as it were a sea of fire. Plunged in this fire were demons and souls in human form, like transparent burning embers, all blackened or burnished bronze, floating about in the conflagration, now raised into the air by the flames that issued from within themselves together with great clouds of smoke now falling back on every side like sparks in huge fires, without weight or equilibrium, amid shrieks and groans of pain and despair, which horrified us and made us tremble with fear. (It must have been this sight which caused me to cry out, as people say they heard me). The demons could be distinguished by their terrifying and repellent likeness to frightful and unknown animals, black and transparent like burning coals. Terrified and as if to plead for succour, we looked up at Our Lady, who said to us, so kindly and so sadly: You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace. Solution for Salvation It’s essential to remember that before this vision given to young children, Our Lady presented them that very short, very powerful prayer to help sinners. Then in July, after the vision, she gave them — and us — another essential prayer to help sinners: When you pray the Rosary, say after each mystery: O my Jesus, forgive us, save us from the fire of hell. Lead all souls to heaven, especially those who are most in need. She had already taught this vital prayer to the children as a prelude to this further vision a month earlier, on June 13, this way: I want you to continue saying the Rosary every day. And after each one of the mysteries, my children, I want you to pray in this way: O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fire of hell. Take all souls to heaven, especially those who are most in need. There’s no time like this 100th anniversary year to begin this addition to the Rosary immediately if you haven’t already done so. The Children Respond The children took Our Lady’s revelations and requests to heart. Lucia recounted that soon after Jacinta didn’t want to play one day. She told Lucia, “That Lady told us to say the Rosary and to make sacrifices for the conversion of sinners. So from now on, when we say the Rosary we must say the whole Hail Mary and the whole Our Father! And the sacrifices, how are we going to make them?” Francisco said a good sacrifice would be going without lunch. Next, Jacinta asked about how long hell lasts, and heaven. Lucia said the idea of eternity made the biggest impression on Jacinta. Thinking about sinners and hell, Jacinta said, “Poor sinners! We have to pray and make many sacrifices for them!” Then she went on: “How good that Lady is! She has already promised to take us to Heaven!” Lucia described how Jacinta took this matter of making sacrifices for the conversion of sinners so seriously “she never let a single opportunity escape her.” For example, in the area were two very poor families with small children. Jacinta told her brother Francisco and Lucia, “Let’s give our lunch to those poor children, for the conversion of sinners.” The children agreed. This was just the tip of the prayers and sacrifices for sinners that they carried on. Father de Marchi described how “Jacinta's boundless zeal permitted her no rest. Looking tactfully at her cousin and her brother, she seemed to feel that with their fierce and heart-wrenching supplications, they could pierce the veil-of heaven and, all by themselves, depopulate the pits of hell.” Jacinta would tell her brother and cousin, “‘We mustn't stop our prayers to save poor souls! So many go to hell!’ Her heart beat in endless pity for the damned, but her intelligence demanded reasonably to understand why people went to such a frightful and hideous place as they had seen.” Jacinta asked, “Lucia — do you remember how our Lady's heart, when she showed it to us, was being pierced by thorns?" "Surely, I do” Lucia replied. “It simply means that her heart is wounded by the sins of people, and she is asking them to be sorry, and to make up for their sins, so that God will not have to punish them too much. She can't make people be good. They must themselves want to be good." Later, very ill, Jacinta would share many insights, among them, “The sins which cause most souls to go to hell are the sins of the flesh.” Father di Marchi noted the children realized why Our Lady asked to pray and make sacrifices for sinners. "Do this," the Lady was saying. "It is a great and good and loving thing to do. It will please God who is Love." “They became, of their free will, co-redeemers with Christ. The vision of hell that they had seen in July was not erased from their minds. They prayed incessantly. They sought new sacrifice. Praying the Rosary, they never forgot to include the prayer after each decade Our Lady taught them to say.”

Ezra heroic in the face of death

Part One: Ezra as the young Azariah of the Book of Daniel by Damien F. Mackey “Then Nebuchadnezzar said, ‘Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God’.” Daniel 3:28 My purpose here will be to attempt to create a basic reconstruction of the life of Ezra the scribe, a most famous personage in biblical-Jewish history, but of whose early life, at least, we have virtually no information at all according to Mendel Adelman, in his article “Ezra the Scribe”: Ezra the Scribe - Jewish History (chabad.org) Very little is known about the early life of Ezra the Scribe. He was born in Babylon to a priestly family, and dedicated himself to the study of the Torah. By trade he was a scribe, writing books of the Torah and Prophets. He lived in Babylon for the first decades of his life, studying under Baruch ben Neriah. …. Whilst, according to the Jewish Encyclopedia article of the same title, our first definite introduction to Ezra will occur as late as 458 BC, during the reign of King Artaxerxes: EZRA THE SCRIBE - JewishEncyclopedia.com Though Ezra was one of the most important personages of his day, and of far-reaching influence upon the development of Judaism, his biography has to be reconstructed from scanty material, furnished in part by fragments from his own memoirs (see Ezra, Book of). The first definite mention of him is in connection with a royal firman granting him permission to lead a band of exiles back to Jerusalem (Ezra vii. 12-26). This edict was issued in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, corresponding to 458 B.C. I, who accept neither the conventional reconstruction of Medo-Persian history and archaeology, nor the dates assigned to its various kings, see e.g. my: Medo-Persian history has no adequate archaeology (4) Medo-Persian history has no adequate archaeology | Damien Mackey - Academia.edu and: Chaotic King Lists can conceal some sure historical sequences (DOC) Chaotic King Lists can conceal some sure historical sequences | Damien Mackey - Academia.edu do not believe in this conventional ‘Artaxerxes in 458 BC’. The identification of the kings, “Artaxerxes”, and otherwise, who I consider to be relevant to the life of Ezra the scribe, will become clear as this article progresses. A first encounter with Ezra Far from this having occurred in 458 BC, I would re-date our first meeting with a young Ezra in the Bible about 150 years earlier, to 606 BC. It is the 3rd year of king Jehoiakim of Judah, which would correspond with the Accession Year of king Nebuchednezzar of Babylon (cf. Jeremiah 25:1). {606 BC would be the approximate conventional date for the 3rd year of Jehoiakim, but not the significantly lower date that I would estimate for it} Ezra first emerges there, in Daniel 1, as the young Azariah, a name that is perfectly compatible with Ezra: Ezra(h) | The amazing name Ezra(h): meaning and etymology (abarim-publications.com) As we learn in Daniel 1 about Azariah and his young companions, they were: 3 … Israelites from the royal family and the nobility— 4 young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. …. 6 Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 7 The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego. …. 17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. …. 19 The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom. Quite impressive CV’s. These youths were educated, wise, learned, intelligent, and competent. And that type of description would fit perfectly what we know of Ezra, “the ready scribe”: Ezra, a Ready Scribe – Ready Scribe Ezra is called a “ready” scribe, meaning he is competent, able to “quickly” do the work of a scribe. Having prepared himself to do the work of God by transcribing so many copies of the Word of God, Ezra is an expert concerning the Old Testament Scriptures …. While his education and diligent work certainly has helped to prepare him, what really sets Ezra apart from the other scribes of his day is his preparation of his heart: “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel” (Ezr 7:10). The word translated “prepare” means Ezra “directed” his heart, and the word translated “seek” means he “inquired, investigated, or studied” God’s Law. Notice that Ezra is not just seeking more knowledge; his desire is to “do” the will of God and to teach others so that they also can please Him. …. Although Azariah is always listed as the last of the trio (Daniel 1:6): “Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah”, variously as “Abednego” (cf. vv. 11, 19; 2:17, 49; 3:12-30), perhaps because he was the youngest, it is apparent that it is he who will take the leading part in the confession of guilt and the prayers. Again, this is very much like Ezra, who intones the prayers and reads from the Book of the Law (cf. Nehemiah 8:1-18; Ezra 8:15-36; ch’s. 9-10), and who organises the priests and the Levites. Azariah, then, could well be - as Ezra was (Ezra 7:1-5) - a priest in the line of Aaron, hence, potentially, the High Priest. Mary Jane Chaignot has written of Azariah’s leadership here, telling that Azariah “speaks for the people of Israel”: The Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Jews - Bible Study - BibleWise The Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Jews By Mary Jane Chaignot According to the Hebrew Bible, Daniel 3:23 states that the three Hebrew men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. This happened because they refused to bow down and worship the golden statue that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. The plan was that whenever people heard the sound of music, they were all supposed to bow down and worship the statue, which was ninety feet tall and nine feet wide. Anyone who refused would be thrown into the fiery furnace. After a few practice sessions, some of the locals complained to the king that the three Hebrew men refused to bow down and worship. The king, of course, couldn't let them snub his command. So he called them together and offered them a second chance to right the wrong they had committed. The consequences were clear if they refused. They would be tossed into the fiery furnace, and the king asked, "Who is the God who can save you?" Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego pretty much didn't care what the king threatened to do. They knew that the God they served could rescue them, but even if He didn't, they would refuse to worship the golden statue. Needless to say, the king turned purple at this point and ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual. He commanded that the three men be bound and thrown into the furnace. Unfortunately, the furnace was so hot that the guards who threw them in were killed. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego fell into the midst of the fire. The prayer of Azariah would be inserted at this point. After a short introduction, the prayer proceeds as a communal lament with a request for deliverance. In so doing, Azariah (Abednego) speaks for the people of Israel by confessing their sins and affirming God's justice. The exile itself was an example of God's justice. This is doubly interesting considering that these three men are in the fiery furnace precisely because they refused to worship a golden image made by the king. In so doing, they were able to remain true to their God; nonetheless they now speak for sinful/idolatrous Israel. What is interesting about this prayer is that since there is no opportunity for sacrifice, Azariah offers a contrite heart. This would demonstrate a considerable advance in the thinking of how to mediate with God. In the absence of sacrifices, a "contrite heart" might suffice in order to assure their acceptance before God. The next section of the addition focuses on the fiery furnace. It describes how the king's servants stoked the fire to comply with the king's request to heat it "seven times hotter." They piled on more naphtha, pitch, and brush until the flames rose seventy feet above the furnace. Ultimately, it would kill those servants who were too close. The three Hebrew men, however, were saved by the presence of an angel. The angel drove the blaze out of the middle and made it as if a dew-laden breeze were blowing through it. Obviously, they were completely protected from the fire. Some scholars think this section should precede the first. It is difficult to understand how the men survived the fall into the furnace without being burned to death, especially if the fire was so hot that it killed their executioners. It would make more sense for the angel to be present from the beginning to protect them. The dew-laden breeze would then have kept them safe even while they were falling through the flames to the bottom. Despite such logic, this appears as the second section. Then all three men joined in praising God. Their voices were as one. They invoke all of creation to join in the praise of God, repeating the phrase "Bless the Lord…sing his praise and highly exalt him forever" with each verse except one (see v. 52). This repetition can also be found in some of the Psalms (see Ps. 103, 136, 148). The repetition adds solemnity and a majestic rhythm to the refrain. Then the next verse (Dan. 3:24) states that King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up suddenly, saying to his advisers, "Didn't we throw three men into the fire?" The advisers answered, "Yes, we did." But now Nebuchadnezzar (and presumably everyone else as well) sees four men walking around in the midst of the flames, to say nothing of the fact that the three somehow survived without being simply consumed by the fire. And the king states that the fourth looks like a son of the gods. The addition of the prayers has the effect of keeping the focus on the three men and the greatness of their God, instead of on the king and his outrageous commands. Previously, these three men were rather colorless characters. Now, however, they shine as faithful followers. It also highlights the idea that God is a God of justice. The exile was the result of Israel's sin. When people sin against God, God hands them over to their enemies. This thought is rooted in the premise of the Deuteronomistic history. The irony, of course, is that the Hebrew Masoretic Text omits these verses, and Christians have tended to ignore them. Some scholars wonder why this is the case, since there is nothing in them that could be considered remotely offensive to Judaic theology. Most concur that it might simply be a matter of length. The prayer is simply too long and too disruptive within the context of the story. Nonetheless, Greek versions can be found in Orthodox and Catholic Bibles. …. These verses can be divided into three sections: 1:1-22 -- The Prayer of Azariah; 1:23-28 – Description of the Furnace; 1:29-68 – The Song of the Three Jews. I – 1:1-22 – The Prayer of Azariah o 1:1-2 o Introduction o As they walked around in the flames, they sang hymns to God o Then Azariah stopped and said this prayer o 1:3-15 o Confession of sins o Azariah begins by praising God o He is the God of our fathers and always just in whatever He has done o His deeds and judgments are true o The exile was "just" on account of the sins of all the people o The people did not obey God's commandments o Nor have they done "what was good for them" o Because of this, God's actions were justified o Israel has been delivered into the hands of their enemies o These enemies are lawless and hateful o Their king is completely unjust o Yet, the people of Israel cannot complain o Shame and disgrace are their lot – even for those who still worship him o All are culpable o Azariah prays that God will not abandon them forever or annul His covenant o He pleads that God will not withdraw His mercy from them o He refers to the promises made to Abraham and Isaac o They were promised descendants more numerous than the stars of the sky and of the sands of the seashore o He realizes Israel's smallness of importance and knows it is a result of their sin o In exile they have no king, no prophet, no leader [Technically, during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Jeremiah and Ezekiel were both actively prophesying, which suggests that this was written much later.] o They have no temple or anyplace to make an offering o 1:16-22 o Plea for deliverance o Azariah asks God to accept their contrite souls and humble spirits o Like the previous sacrifices of rams and bulls, he prays that God will see their sacrifice o All he wants is to be able to follow God wholeheartedly o He does not want those who trust in God to be disappointed o He avows that they earnestly follow God and fear Him and seek His face o He prays that God will not put them to shame but treat them leniently o This would be in accordance with God's great mercy Anyone who abuses them should be put to shame and stripped of power o Their strength should be broken o Then even the pagans will know that He "alone is Lord, God" o God is glorious over the whole world Compare, for example, Ezra’s confession of the guilt of Israel (Ezra 9:5-15): Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the LORD my God and prayed: “I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens. From the days of our ancestors until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today. But now, for a brief moment, the LORD our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage. Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem. But now, our God, what can we say after this? For we have forsaken the commands you gave through your servants the prophets when you said: ‘The land you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the corruption of its peoples. By their detestable practices they have filled it with their impurity from one end to the other. Therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them at any time, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.’ What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins deserved and have given us a remnant like this. Shall we then break your commands again and intermarry with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would you not be angry enough with us to destroy us, leaving us no remnant or survivor? LORD, the God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in your presence.” Likewise, Azariah again (in vv. 2-10): Then Azari′ah stood and offered this prayer; in the midst of the fire he opened his mouth and said: “Blessed art thou, O Lord, God of our fathers, and worthy of praise; and thy name is glorified for ever. For thou art just in all that thou hast done to us, and all thy works are true and thy ways right, and all thy judgments are truth. Thou hast executed true judgments in all that thou hast brought upon us and upon Jerusalem, the holy city of our fathers, for in truth and justice thou hast brought all this upon us because of our sins. For we have sinfully and lawlessly departed from thee, and have sinned in all things and have not obeyed thy commandments; we have not observed them or done them, as thou hast commanded us that it might go well with us. So all that thou hast brought upon us, and all that thou hast done to us, thou hast done in true judgment. Thou hast given us into the hands of lawless enemies, most hateful rebels, and to an unjust king, the most wicked in all the world. And now we cannot open our mouths; shame and disgrace have befallen thy servants and worshippers. Part Two: Ezra when Jerusalem’s wall was re-built If this is a right conjunction, then we would have at the Dedication of the Wall … (i) Daniel (= Nehemiah); (ii) Azariah (= Ezra); and (iii) Mishael (= Meshullam). So far in this article a youthful Ezra has been identified with Azariah, re-named Abed-nego by the Chaldeans, who led the prayers, confessions of guilt, and Divine praises, within the heart of king Nebuchednezzar’s burning fiery furnace. And, regarding the latter, we now know that Nebuchednezzar’s alter ego, king Ashurbanipal, actually had, and indeed used for execution, “a burning fiery furnace”. See e.g. my article: Ashurbanipal and Nabonidus (4) Ashurbanipal and Nabonidus | Damien Mackey - Academia.edu The burning fiery furnace is a vivid symbol of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, abyss of fiery love: St. John Vianney put it this way: “Let us open the door of the Sacred Heart and shut ourselves in for a moment amidst the divine flames. We shall then realize what God’s love means.” If our difficulties put us right in the center of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, then instead of complaining about the heat, instead of moaning about the flames … we can take refuge there. The flames become victory. They become freedom. As our reading just said: “God chastises those who are close to him.” If we want to be close to God, then we must willingly go inside this furnace. The Crucible of the Heart of Jesus - Casting Out Fear We move on from king Nebuchednezzar’s Accession Year to his 20th year. Nebuchednezzar, though, is now to be found under an alternate name, “Artaxerxes”. Mid-way through the reign of Nebuchednezzar Here we encounter our first “King Artaxerxes” (Nehemiah 2:1), who, as further enquiry informs us, was “king of Babylon” (13:6). Despite that vital piece of information, critics argue over whether this monarch - as well as the “Artaxerxes king of Persia” in Ezra 7:1 - was meant as a reference to Artaxerxes I (c. 464 to 425 BC) or to Artaxerxes II (c. 404 to 358 BC). It was neither. This verse does not refer to an Achaemenid king at all, but to a Chaldean king. The king in question was, in fact, Nebuchednezzar the king of Babylon. The wall of Jerusalem had recently been destroyed by the Chaldeans. With the Great King’s permission, Nehemiah will rebuild it. He was an obvious favourite of the Chaldean king: Daniel and Nehemiah (3) Daniel and Nehemiah | Damien Mackey - Academia.edu Did Daniel’s learned friend, Azariah (= Ezra), accompany him on this brief mission? Though the paths of Nehemiah and Ezra barely seem to cross, which had caused me for a long time to imagine that Ezra was Nehemiah, I can identify a few verses in the Book of Nehemiah that definitely seem to place Ezra and Nehemiah side by side. Firstly, there is the well-known one - most controversial for those who try to separate Ezra and Nehemiah chronologically (8:9): “Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, ‘This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep’. For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law”. I used to try to read this verse as a waw consecutive, “Then Nehemiah … even Ezra …”, thereby fusing two names into the one person. But a second verse seems to militate right against that notion. At the Dedication of the Wall, the very incident upon which we are focussed here, we read that (12:36): “Ezra the teacher of the Law led the procession”. That this “Ezra” could not be a reference to Nehemiah himself is apparent from this combination of verses in Nehemiah 12: 27 At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem …. 31 I [Nehemiah] had the leaders of Judah go up on top of the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks. 36 Ezra the teacher of the Law led the procession. The seemingly obscure Ezra likely ‘peeps out’ again in verse 33: “… along with Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam …”. Of possible great interest, regarding the last name here, “Meshullam”, is that William H. Shea has proposed an historical identification of Azariah’s friend, Mishael (Meshach), with Nebuchednezzar’s official, Mušallim-Marduk: William H. Shea's hopeful historical evidence for Daniel's three friends, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego (2) (DOC) William H. Shea's hopeful historical evidence for Daniel's three friends, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego | Damien Mackey - Academia.edu If this is a conjunction, then we would have at the Dedication of the Wall (my reconstruction): (i) Daniel (= Nehemiah); (ii) Azariah (= Ezra); and (iii) Mishael (= Meshullam). Just to complicate matters, though, in Nehemiah 8:4 both a Mishael and a Meshullam stand on the left side of Ezra: “Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. … on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam”. Part Three: One named Ezra returned with Zerubbabel and Jeshua “These were the priests and Levites who returned with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with Joshua [Jeshua]: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra …”. Nehemiah 12:1 Tradition would have it that Ezra the scribe was not part of this important return of Jewish exiles to Jerusalem from Babylon when king Cyrus issued his famous decree in c. 535 BC (conventional dating, not mine) ordering for the Temple of Yahweh to be re-built (Ezra 1:1-4). I referred to this extraordinary situation in my article: Did Ezra leave Babylon only after Baruch died? (3) (DOC) Did Ezra leave Babylon only after Baruch died? | Damien Mackey - Academia.edu Ezra, who had previously returned to Jerusalem with governor Nehemiah in the 20th year of king Nebuchednezzar (that is, “Artaxerxes king of Babylon”: Nehemiah 13:6), to rebuild the Wall that the Chaldeans had wrecked - while Baruch was actually away in Egypt with Jeremiah - would be expected to re-visit Jerusalem for this once-in-a-lifetime occasion, Year 1 of Cyrus. By now, Ezra would have been almost 30 years older than when he had accompanied Nehemiah to Jerusalem on the Wall building expedition. True to form, though, the obscure Ezra does not stand out in any accounts of this great event. I would see him as one of the leading priests-Levites referred to in Nehemiah 12:1: “These were the priests and Levites who returned with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and with Joshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra …”. Ezra the scribe, even though he was of the priestly line of Aaron (Ezra 7:1-5), would not actually assume the rôle of the High Priest in Jerusalem, however. No doubt this was because of his official commitments. Had not king Nebuchednezzar appointed Ezra (as the young Azariah), and his two fiery furnace companions, Hananiah and Mishael, to be high officials in the kingdom (Daniel 3:30): “Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon”? (Refer back to the William H. Shea article) The High Priest for this period, from the commencement of the construction of the Temple in the 1st year of Cyrus, until its completion, in the 6th year of king Darius, was Joshua, or Jeshua (cf. Ezra 3:2; 6:15), apparently the grandfather of Eliashib (Nehemiah 12:10) who had been the High Priest at the time of Nehemiah’s first visit (3:1). Part Four: Ezra returns again as soon as the Temple is completed “After these things, during the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest— this Ezra came up from Babylon”. Ezra 7:1-6 Though Ezra was of the line of the chief priests, being descended from Aaron, it will be Jeshua, not Ezra, who will serve as the High Priest (Kohen Gadol) at the beginnings of the second Temple. Ezra, likely, as I have suggested, had high official duties in Babylon. Now, the prophet Zechariah would have a most dramatic vision of Jeshua (or Joshua) as clothed in utterly filthy garments, and being judicially accused by Satan (Zechariah 3:1-10): https://bible.ucg.org/bible-commentary/Zechariah/Vision-concerning-Joshua-the-high-priest-and-the-coming-Branch/ The high priest Joshua stands before the Angel of the Lord (3:1). As this particular figure is able to remove iniquity (see verses 3-4), the reference is apparently to the preincarnate Christ. Indeed, in verse 2 we see the "Lord" calling a rebuke down from the "Lord"—evidently Christ calling a rebuke down from God the Father. The rebuke is called down on Satan. "The Hebrew is literally 'the Satan,' meaning 'the Accuser'" (Nelson Study Bible, note on verse 1)—or, similarly, "the Adversary" or "the Opponent." The word "oppose" in verse 1 could also, in a legal setting, be rendered "accuse." "Satan's accusation invests [the scene] with a judicial character. The position of standing at the right side was the place of accusation under the law (Ps 109:6). Satan knows the purposes of God concerning Israel and therefore has always accused the Jews and accuses them still.... Satan is the accuser, not only of Joshua (i.e., Israel), but also of all believers (Job 1-2; Rev 12:10)" (Expositor's Bible Commentary, note on Zechariah 3:1). It is interesting to recall that the Samaritans, as agents of Satan to thwart the restoration of Judah and its worship, had constantly brought the Jews before the Persian imperial court (Ezra 4:4-5). The reason for Satan's accusation in Zechariah 3 is evidently Joshua's impurity, as symbolized by his defiled garments. Expositor's states in its note on verse 3: "The Hebrew word soim ('filthy') is 'the strongest expression in the Hebrew language for filth of the most vile and loathsome character' (Feinberg...). Some interpreters maintain that Joshua was covered with excrement—only in the vision, of course! Such clothes represent the pollution of sin (cf. Isa 64:6). To compound the problem, Joshua (i.e., Israel), contaminated by sin, was ministering in this filthy condition before the Angel of the Lord." Joshua had been guilty of sin, having previously abandoned the reconstruction of the temple while continuing in priestly service. "The high priest represented the people before God (see Ex. 28:29) and under no circumstances was to become defiled or unclean (Ex. 28:2; Lev. 21:10-15)" (Nelson, note on Zechariah 3:3). It is interesting to consider the high priest as representative of the nation, for the figure of Joshua is clearly being used that way in this passage. The whole nation, this priestly nation (see Exodus 19:6), stood guilty before God. The national identification is clear from verse 2. Responding to Satan's accusation against Joshua, the One who would later become Jesus Christ responds, "The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you!" He follows with "Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?" God had earlier told the people of Israel in Amos 4:11, "I overthrew some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were like a firebrand plucked from the burning." That prophecy was dual, referring to both ancient and end-time Israel. The current vision is the same in this regard. Expositor's notes: "The reference to the burning stick snatched from the fire is an additional indication that Israel, not Joshua, is ultimately in view. Israel was retrieved to carry out God's future purpose for her (cf. Amos 4:11). The 'fire' refers to the Babylonian captivity. Metaphorically, Israel was snatched as a burning stick from that fire. However, this event may also look back to the deliverance from Egypt (cf. Deut 4:20; 7:7-8; Jer 11:4) and forward to the rescue from the coming tribulation period (cf. Jer 30:7; Zech 13:8-9; Rev 12:13-17)" (note on Zechariah 3:2). …. Whilst the description of Jeshua as “a brand plucked from the fire” might immediately make me think of Ezra - as the young Azariah delivered from the fiery furnace - the prophet Zechariah’s account of a High Priest covered with filth can by no means, one would think, be applicable to the saintly Azariah-Ezra. So far we have had Ezra return to Jerusalem on two important occasions, namely: (i) Year 20 of king Nebuchednezzar, when governor Nehemiah rebuilt the Wall; and (ii) Year 1 of king Cyrus, when official permission was given to the Jews to re-build the Temple of Yahweh. A little less than 30 years separated these two events according to my revision. Having settled the identification, as Nebuchednezzar, of the “Artaxerxes … king of Babylon” named in the Book of Nehemiah, we must now identify the “Artaxerxes king of Persia” mentioned in Ezra 7:1, who is absolutely key to the chronology of Ezra the scribe. For it was in “the seventh year of King Artaxerxes” when Ezra returned to Jerusalem (Ezra 7:7-8). As a useful commentator like Herb Storck (History and Prophecy: A Study in the Post-Exilic Period, House of Nabu, 1989) has insisted, this particular “Artaxerxes” can only be the Darius king of Persia in whose 6th year the Temple was completed (6:15). Ezra came back immediately afterwards, in the 7th year of Darius the Persian. Ezra was now bringing silver and gold, for which priestly purposes the King of Persia had decreed (Ezra 7:12-17): Artaxerxes, king of kings, To Ezra the priest, teacher of the Law of the God of heaven: Greetings. Now I decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including priests and Levites, who volunteer to go to Jerusalem with you, may go. You are sent by the king and his seven advisers to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem with regard to the Law of your God, which is in your hand. Moreover, you are to take with you the silver and gold that the king and his advisers have freely given to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, together with all the silver and gold you may obtain from the province of Babylon, as well as the freewill offerings of the people and priests for the temple of their God in Jerusalem. With this money be sure to buy bulls, rams and male lambs, together with their grain offerings and drink offerings, and sacrifice them on the altar of the Temple of your God in Jerusalem. On the return journey home, Ezra would also have a delegation collect, from Kasiphia, Levites, who were completely lacking in the original group that had departed from Babylon (8:15-20). One amongst the “leaders” whom Ezra sent there was Meshullam (v. 16), a possible candidate, as we have found, for Mishael of the fiery furnace episode. The usually obscure scribe Ezra was this time, at the completion of the Temple, a major player (Ezra 7-10) - this visit of his occurring almost twenty years after his previous return to Jerusalem in Year 1 of Cyrus. In this article, three returns of Ezra have been identified: (i) Year 20 of Nebuchednezzar the Chaldean, to rebuild the broken Wall of Jerusalem; (ii) Year 1 of Cyrus, the Medo-Persian, to commence the building of the Temple; and (iii) Year 7 of Darius, just after the completion of the second Temple. This new chronology solves, I believe, the problem of who came first, Ezra or Nehemiah? They both came together to rebuild the Wall, and were there together again when the Temple’s reconstruction had commenced. But by the time that Ezra had returned on the third occasion, in Year 7 of Artaxerxes, which incident, as some commentators argue, actually pre-dated Nehemiah’s return in Year 20 of Artaxerxes – {and though this might seem logical, these were, in fact, two different kings “Artaxerxes”} – much of the work and reform that one finds in the Book of Nehemiah, had, of course, been completed – with Ezra himself also having played a significant part in it all. In the context of Ezra the scribe’s third return to Jerusalem only (Year 7 of Artaxerxes), the events narrated in the Book of Nehemiah would generally pre-date those of the Book of Ezra. For more on this, see e.g. my article: Nehemiah, and a cracker from A. van Hoonacker (3) (DOC) Nehemiah, and a cracker from A. van Hoonacker | Damien Mackey - Academia.edu Part Five: Ezra endured an horrific death in Maccabean times Judas Maccabeus asked this Esdrias (8:23) “to read the sacred book aloud …”. Is this not precisely what Ezra would do? (Nehemiah 8:1-3) …” Ezra, a mostly obscure character throughout the Scriptures, despite his immense reputation and status, will now (according to my much revised chronology) emerge in 2 Maccabees. We firstly encounter him there as Esdrias, a name very close to Esdras, a version of Ezra. In 2 Maccabees, in chapter 12, we read that this Esdrias was even commanding Jewish troops (v. 36). “… Esdrias and his men had been fighting for a long time and were exhausted …”. Then, more characteristically of Ezra, we learn that, after a Maccabean victory over Nicanor, Judas Maccabeus asked this Esdrias (8:23) “to read the sacred book aloud …”. Is this not precisely what Ezra would do? (Nehemiah 8:1-3): “… all the people … asked Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses which Yahweh had prescribed for Israel. … Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly …. On the square before the Water Gate … he read from the book from early morning till noon …”. Finally, as according to my multi-part series: Ezra ‘Father of the Jews’ dying the death of Razis beginning with: Ezra ‘Father of the Jews’ dying the death of Razis. Part One: Introductory section | Damien Mackey - Academia.edu Ezra was the same as the Jewish elder, Razis, whose spectacular but gory death - surely one of the most dramatic in history - is narrated in 2 Maccabees 14. He has been described by one commentator as a “madman”, and his suicidal manner of death has been deemed “cowardly”. But, whatever one may conclude about the manner of his death, this Razis was no coward. The Maccabean account tells that Razis “bravely threw himself down into the crowd”. And, a few verses earlier, it had recalled how this man had, in bygone days, sacrificed himself fearlessly for his people: “In former times, when there was no mingling with the Gentiles, he had been accused of Judaism, and he had most zealously risked body and life for Judaism”. Owing to this, Razis, “a man who loved his compatriots and was very well thought of”, was, “for his goodwill … called Father of the Jews”. Ezra, of course, is similarly known as “Father of Judaïsm”. Tradition has Ezra dying “at the age of 120”: https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/5967-ezra-the-scribe All of these years would be needed to cover the lengthy life that I have attributed to Ezra in this article, from his young manhood, as the wise Azariah, at the beginning of the reign of the Chaldean king, Nebuchednezzar, until the wars of Judas Maccabeus against the Seleucids.

Three Fatima children, like Daniel’s three young friends, faced with being burned alive

“… on August 13, Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco failed to go to the place of the apparition because they had been arrested by the mayor of nearby Ourem and placed in jail with the threat of being boiled in oil. They were eventually released. Our Lady appeared to the children later that month on the nineteenth”. Francis Slobodnik Today is again an August 13 (now 2024). Comparisons can readily be drawn - and often have been drawn - between the heroism of the three biblical youth, when confronted by an evil King Nebuchednezzar and his fiery furnace, and the heroism of the three Fatima seers, Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco, when confronted by the Freethinker Mayor of Ourém, Artur de Oliveira Santos, and his tub of boiling oil. The following relevant article has been taken from: https://americaneedsfatima.org/blog/how-one-mans-bad-actions-impacted-fatimas-miracle-of-the-sun How One Man’s Bad Actions Impacted Fatima’s Miracle of the Sun Sep 27, 2023 / Written by: Francis Slobodnik On May 13, 1917, Our Lady appeared to three children in Fatima, Portugal and asked them to return on the thirteenth of the next five months. However, on August 13, Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco failed to go to the place of the apparition because they had been arrested by the mayor of nearby Ourem and placed in jail with the threat of being boiled in oil. They were eventually released. Our Lady appeared to the children later that month on the nineteenth. During this brief apparition, Our Lady said something very significant. Her face became grave and even upset. Our Lady then referred to the coming miracle she was to perform in October, saying, “If they had not taken you to Ourem, the miracle would be even greater.” The “Miracle of the Sun” took place in October, dazzling everyone with its supernatural character and the monumental movements of the sun. It exceeded all imagination. It was terrifying, yet magnificent. Those who witnessed the miracle experienced special graces, healings and conversions—even when many miles away. As great as this miracle was, it was supposed to be yet more magnificent. However, the actions of the mayor of Ourem and any accomplices caused the diminishing of the miracle. Thus, many miraculous healings and conversions did not take place because of this man. The actions of one or a few can have an impact on what Our Lady decides to do. When we sin, we offend God, Who can choose to withhold His graces from the world. Every sin offends God; we must also consider the billions of grave mortal sins thrown in the face of God every single day. These offences merit unimaginable chastisements in due proportion. We must also consider that Our Lady complained about the sins of the early twentieth century. Marriages and families at that time were still largely intact. Divorce, abortion, fornication, sodomy and other behaviors were illegal then. However, Our Lady still was incredibly saddened by the sins of that time. Today, she must be much more saddened. There is much we can do in the face of so much sin. We can offer up our adoration and prayers to God. We can offer reparation for our own sins and those of the world. We also must act by protesting against so much wickedness committed in the public square. Our protest, reparation and prayers must also be done in public. Bold public stands are a manifestation of our love of God. These acts also show our zeal for the conversion and salvation of sinners. Our courageous actions can further move Our Lady to multiply the humble merits of our efforts. She can disproportionately grant graces of conversion and repentance as a result. Moreover, those who act now can expect Our Lady's help in times of chastisement and trials. Let us be like the Fatima children and not like the Mayor of Ourem. Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us!

Explosive number of conversions to Christianity taking place in Iran

“Confirming these statements, a significant survey taken in 2020 by Gamaan, a secular Netherlands-based research group, reported that there are far greater numbers of Christian believers in Iran than ever before — more than a million”. Lela Gilbert Taken from: https://www.hudson.org/religious-freedom/good-news-iran-million-new-christian-believers-lela-gilbert What first comes into your mind when you see the word “Iran” in the headlines? Some of us immediately reflect on the Islamic Republic of Iran’s relentless efforts to develop a nuclear weapon, while their government-sponsored mobs chant, “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!” For others, it’s Iran’s relentless military aggression in the Middle East and assassination squads elsewhere. Meanwhile, those of us who focus on international religious freedom recall that year after year, Iran is listed as one of the 10 worst persecutors of Christians in the world. But there is another story that isn’t widely reported in our American media. Amazingly, there’s an explosive number of conversions to Christianity taking place in Iran. I first became aware of this surprisingly good news when I lived in Israel — it was talked about among groups who were focused on Middle East evangelism. Then after I returned to the U.S., I read an unexpected report by Daniel Pipes, a Jewish researcher and author and friend of mine who wrote about it for Newsweek: “Something religiously astonishing is taking place in Iran, where an Islamist government has ruled since 1979: Christianity is flourishing. The implications are potentially profound. “Consider some testimonials: David Yeghnazar of Elam Ministries stated in 2018 that ‘Iranians have become the most open people to the gospel.’ The Christian Broadcasting Network found, also in 2018, that ‘Christianity is growing faster in the Islamic Republic of Iran than in any other country.’ “This trend results from the extreme form of Shi’ite Islam imposed by the theocratic regime. An Iranian church leader explained in 2019: ‘What if I told you the mosques are empty inside Iran? What if I told you no one follows Islam inside of Iran? ...What if I told you the best evangelist for Jesus was the Ayatollah Khomeini [founder of the Islamic Republic]?”’ Confirming these statements, a significant survey taken in 2020 by Gamaan, a secular Netherlands-based research group, reported that there are far greater numbers of Christian believers in Iran than ever before — more than a million. In fact, those involved with the “house church” movement in Iran are convinced that there are likely several million Christian believers there. In my research and interviews, it has become clear that new Christians’ witness to others is mostly shared in quiet conversations, encouraged by low-profile online Bible studies, and affirmed by visions, dreams, and miraculously answered prayers. Due to their risky circumstances, recent Christian converts are enthusiastically communicating about their changed lives with friends and loved ones — but quietly and carefully. However, their discreet but persistent witness accounts for the extraordinary number of new Iranian believers, who meet in small house churches. These house churches are usually comprised of no more than 10 to 15 believers. On a given day, they arrive, one by one, at a small apartment or some other nondescript location. After the last one enters, the door closes and locks, and they all take a deep breath and relax, greeting each other warmly. A few minutes later, the little gathering begins to sing — very softly, accompanied by a quietly strummed guitar. They are cautious, not wanting their voices to be heard beyond the apartment’s thin walls. But soon, with closed eyes and hands lifted heavenward, they are lost in praise and worship music. Later a teaching from a biblical passage is offered and a communion service takes place. And finally, after more conversation they leave, one by one. Some house churches have continued for years without intrusion by government authorities. Others have experienced devastating interferences. Sudden invasions by state authorities can happen at any time; only rarely are they preceded by a threatening text message or phone call. Everyone knows about Christian gatherings in which, without warning, a dozen or more officials have burst into a small meeting and roughly arrested everyone there. Typically, these authorities also literally tear apart the residence, searching for laptops, phones, evangelistic publications including Bibles and other books, DVDs, and videos. They’re looking for anything they can confiscate and label as “evidence” against the Christians. Arrests are made based on accusations such as “insulting Islam,” or conducting “deviant activity” that “contradicts or interferes with the sacred law of Islam.” The house church participants, including recent converts, know very well that the aftermath of such raids can also be perilous: continuing threats of violence, lost employment, expulsion from school or university, confiscated cash, and the endangerment of other family members. And everyone knows that sexual violence against a mother, wife, girlfriend, or daughter is likely to follow. Still, with all this in mind, Iranian house church Christians are extraordinarily courageous. And sometimes the price they pay for their boldness is exceptionally painful. Prominent organizations who report on Iran’s abuse of Christian believers, including the Vatican and several Protestant groups, declare that the regime has recently increased its abuses, including surveillance, arrests, and imprisonment of house church leaders and those who worship in their homes. And true justice seldom follows. Open Doors acknowledged that their watchdog organization is “appalled by the testimonies of violations of due process that took place in the court rooms, including humiliating remarks from the judge, the court’s unconcealed favor for the prosecutor’s side, the defendants’ occasional lack of access to a lawyer, and verdicts issued in less than 10 days — clearly — without sufficient consideration of evidence.” As I’ve learned about the many abuses suffered by our sisters and brothers in Iran, I have also been awestruck by their courage and boldness — and by the remarkable results. More than a million new converts — called Muslim Background Believers (MBB) — are reading the Bible for the first time, praying, gathering in small groups, and sharing their new faith with friends and family, despite the risks. Their faith is amazing, encouraging, and inspiring. Today, when we see “Iran” in the headlines, we are wise to be concerned. Let’s pray for God’s intervention into the regime’s deadly intentions. But let’s also remember our little-known but rapidly growing Christian family inside Iran’s borders. Their bold example of courage in the face of persecution shines brightly amid the ever-increasing darkness in the Middle East. Read in The Washington Stand.

Joshuan Miracle of the Sun absorbed into Homer’s Iliad

by Damien F. Mackey The fictitious Greek king, Agamemnon, appears in Homer’s The Iliad, in at least one notable instance, like Joshua, praying for the Sun not to set so that Agamemnon might be victorious. “Zeus, most glorious, most great, the one of the dark clouds, that dwellest in the heaven, grant that the sun set not, neither darkness come upon us, until I have cast down in headlong ruin the hall of Priam … burned with consuming fire”. (Illiad II:412-415) This is not the only instance in which The Iliad has borrowed from colourful biblical events. See e.g. my article: Judith the Jewess and “Helen” the Hellene https://www.academia.edu/24417162/Judith_the_Jewess_and_Helen_the_Hellene The Greeks may have inadvertently replaced the most beautiful Jewish heroine, Judith of Bethulia, with their own legendary Helen, whose ‘face launched a thousand ships’, given, for instance, these striking similarities (Judith and The Iliad): The beautiful woman praised by the elders at the city gates: "When [the elders of Bethulia] saw [Judith] transformed in appearance and dressed differently, they were very greatly astounded at her beauty" (Judith 10:7). "Now the elders of the people were sitting by the Skaian gates…. When they saw Helen coming … they spoke softly to each other with winged words: 'No shame that the Trojans and the well-greaved Achaians should suffer agonies for long years over a woman like this - she is fearfully like the immortal goddesses to look at'" [The Iliad., pp. 44-45]. This theme of incredible beauty - plus the related view that “no shame” should be attached to the enemy on account of it - is picked up again a few verses later in the Book of Judith (v.19) when the Assyrian soldiers who accompany Judith and her maid to Holofernes "marvelled at [Judith's] beauty and admired the Israelites, judging them by her … 'Who can despise these people, who have women like this among them?'" Nevertheless: 'It is not wise to leave one of their men alive, for if we let them go they will be able to beguile the whole world!' (Judith 10:19). 'But even so, for all her beauty, let her go back in the ships, and not be left here a curse to us and our children'. And, in Virgil’s Aeneid, the encounter between Achior and Holofernes re-emerges with Sinon before Priam: Trojans ought not have ‘signed on’ with Sinon (4) Trojans ought not have 'signed on' with Sinon | Damien Mackey - Academia.edu There I wrote: I, in my article showing that parts of The Odyssey were drawn from the Books of Job and Tobit, was at pains to point out that the history of Tobias (= Job), fixed in the C8th BC neo-Assyrian era (conventional dating), was the basis for some major parts of Homer’s fictitious The Odyssey. And, elsewhere, I have asked the question regarding the Book of Judith and Homer (The Iliad, this time) - and now introducing Sinon: If the very main theme of The Iliad may have been lifted by the Greeks from the Book of Judith, then might not even the Homeric idea of the Trojan Horse ruse to capture Troy have been inspired by Judith’s own ruse to take the Assyrian camp? Before going on to add this note: [According to R. Graves, The Greek Myths (Penguin Books, combined ed., 1992), p. 697 (1, 2): “Classical commentators on Homer were dissatisfied with the story of the wooden horse. They suggested, variously, that the Greeks used a horse-like engine for breaking down the walls (Pausanias: i. 23. 10) … that Antenor admitted the Greeks into Troy by a postern which had a horse painted on it…. Troy is quite likely to have been stormed by means of a wheeled wooden tower, faced with wet horse hides as a protection against incendiary darts…”. …. (Pausanius 2nd century AD: Wrote `Description of Greece’.)]. And then I proceeded to make this radical re-assessment of Virgil’s character, Sinon: What may greatly serve to strengthen this suggestion is the uncannily ‘Judith-like’ trickery of a certain Sinon, a wily Greek, as narrated in the detailed description of the Trojan Horse in Book Two of Virgil’s Aeneid. Sinon, whilst claiming to have become estranged from his own people, because of their treachery and sins, was in fact bent upon deceiving the Trojans about the purpose of the wooden horse, in order “to open Troy to the Greeks”. I shall set out here the main parallels that I find on this score between the Aeneid and the Book of Judith. Firstly, the name Sinon may recall Judith’s ancestor Simeon, son of Israel (Judith 8:1; 9:2). Whilst Sinon, when apprehended by the enemy, is “dishevelled” and “defenceless”, Judith, also defenseless, is greatly admired for her appearance by the members of the Assyrian patrol who apprehend her (Judith 10:14). As Sinon is asked sympathetically by the Trojans ‘what he had come to tell …’ and ‘why he had allowed himself to be taken prisoner’, so does the Assyrian commander-in-chief, Holofernes, ‘kindly’ ask Judith: ‘… tell me why you have fled from [the Israelites] and have come over to us?’ Just as Sinon, when brought before the Trojan king Priam, promises that he ‘will confess the whole truth’ – though having no intention of doing that – so does Judith lie to Holofernes: ‘I will say nothing false to my lord this night’ (Judith 11:5). Sinon then gives his own treacherous account of events, including the supposed sacrileges of the Greeks due to their tearing of the Palladium, image of the goddess Athene, from her own sacred Temple in Troy; slaying the guards on the heights of the citadel and then daring to touch the sacred bands on the head of the virgin goddess with blood on their hands. For these ‘sacrileges’ the Greeks were doomed. Likewise Judith assures Holofernes of victory because of the supposed sacrilegious conduct that the Israelites have planned (e.g. to eat forbidden and consecrated food), even in Jerusalem (11:11-15). Sinon concludes – in relation to the Trojan options regarding what to do with the enigmatic wooden horse – with an Achior-like statement: ‘For if your hands violate this offering to Minerva, then total destruction shall fall upon the empire of Priam and the Trojans…. But if your hands raise it up into your city, Asia shall come unbidden in a mighty war to the walls of Pelops, and that is the fate in store for our descendants’. Whilst Sinon’s words were full of cunning, Achior had been sincere when he had warned Holofernes – in words to which Judith will later allude deceitfully (11:9-10): ‘So now, my master and my lord, if there is any oversight in this people [the Israelites] and they sin against their God and we find out their offense, then we can go up against them and defeat them. But if they are not a guilty nation, then let my lord pass them by; for their Lord and God will defend them, and we shall become the laughing-stock of the whole world’ (Judith 5:20-21). [Similarly, Achilles fears to become ‘a laughing-stock and a burden of the earth’ (Plato’s Apologia, Scene I, D. 5)]. These, Achior’s words, were the very ones that had so enraged Holofernes and his soldiers (vv.22-24). And they would give the Greeks the theme for their greatest epic, The Iliad. Johan Weststeijn is of the opinion - and it is a typical one - that the Book of Judith (as well as the Arabic Zenobia) was based on an earlier work, or “Vorlage”, with Achior of the Book of Judith being an ‘adaptation’ of Sinon at Troy. Thus: https://www.academia.edu/3639903/Zenobia_of_Palmyra_and_the_Book_of_Judith_Common_Motifs_in_Greek_Jewish_and_Arabic_Historiography Abstract: This article points to the many parallels between the book of Judith and the Arabic account of the life and death of Zenobia of Palmyra. By comparing these two stories with the episode about Zopyros in Herodotus’ Histories and the episode about Sinon in accounts of the fall of Troy, it argues that these similarities can only be explained if we assume that the book of Judith and the Arabic Zenobia Legend are adaptations of the same Vorlage, an earlier story that contained a Holofernes motif (heroine kills enemy) and a Sinon motif (enemy deceives heroine). When this Vorlage was adapted to create the book of Judith, the part of the deceiving Sinon was adapted to create the role of the sincere Achior, whereby he lost his function in the story and became a blind motif. Sinon tells the Trojans that the Greeks have built the wooden horse as an offering to the goddess Athena, and that they built it this big to prevent the Trojans from bringing it inside their walls, for if the Trojans would succeed in doing so, Athena would make Troy invincible. The trouble is that the goddess Athena (Athene) can be, in The Iliad and The Odyssey, a paganised version of a lofty biblical character (such as the angel Raphael). Moreover, the famous standoff between Agamemnon and Achilles, also in The Iliad, reminds me of the hostile encounter in the Book of Judith (chapter 5) between the bombastic “Holofernes” and his subordinate, “Achior” (a name not unlike Achilles). And I have previously provided abundant evidence for the use of the books of Tobit and Job in Homer’s The Odyssey. Yet we constantly read statements such as: “Western civilization begins with the two greatest books of the ancient world, the Iliad and the Odyssey by the Greek poet Homer”. https://www.memoriapress.com/curriculum/classical-studies/iliad-odyssey-complete-set/ The crucial Hebrew inspiration behind all of this usually goes completely unacknowledged.